Hand of God: Who is Tyr in God of War Ragnarok?

Don’t worry, he won’t bite…

Sony Santa Monica’s highly-anticipated sequel God of War Ragnarok is finally in the hands of players worldwide, who now have the opportunity to continue the epic odyssey of Kratos and Atreus as they look down the barrel of the fated cataclysm known as Ragnarok — said to bring death and destruction to the world and its Gods.

God of War Ragnarok will see our protagonists come across new and familiar faces, from the returning witch Freya to the ferocious wolf-god Fenrir and the mighty, hammer-wielding warrior Thor. Among these legends of Norse mythology, Kratos and Atreus will encounter the somber Tyr, whose limp frame and addled mind belie his ultimate identity: That of the son of Odin and the defiant Aesirian God of War.

Tyr’s mythology is somewhat muddled across various localizations, but he is generally depicted as one of the sons of Odin and the half-brother to Thor, Heimdall, Baldur, and Skjöld. A variant of Mars, Tyr takes up the role of God of War for Aesir, (as opposed to Kratos’ Grecian heritage), and is usually depicted as missing a hand — torn off during the binding of the wolf-god Fenrir. While Tyr does not play as large a role in mythology as his siblings, he is nevertheless associated with themes of bravery, victory, and glory.

Tyr’s appearance in God of War Ragnarok, much like his mythological origins, starts a little inauspiciously. Found imprisoned in the dwarven caves of Svartfalfheim — his mind almost entirely lost to fear and paranoia. A shadow of the glorious God of War foretold by fate. As to whether Tyr’s senses can be restored, and what role he will play in Kratos and Atreus’ journey toward the impending apocalypse, players will simply have to delve into the adventure for themselves.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms.